KIng Crimson 1973-1974 Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Starless And Bible Black, Red

I loved In The Court Of The Crimson King 1969. It was so perfect. Prog, jazz, rock, and avant-garde, with a classical urge, they seemed so big and bright. And I also liked In The Wake Of Poseiden 1970, which followed the same formula to similar success, at least in my view. Then I stopped listening to King Crimson.

Years later, I'm reading about bands and music on blogs and in books, and the story of King Crimson, who I've known about all along but didn't hear their music, comes into my view. And I think about those first two records I loved so much.

The next thing I know I bought Lizard, and Red. And then Larks' Tongues In Aspic and Starless And Bible Black. I have explored these recordings with the zeal of a fan and the critical ear of the gendarme.

I am here to report to you my findings. This band, essentially an augmented trio, is infamous in King Crimson mythology. Robert Fripp's guitar, John Wetton's thunderous bass and smooth vocals, and Bill Bruford's fiery drumming add up to an amazing group that made exactly these three records. Augmented by David Cross' violin and Jamie Muir's percussion, Larks' Tongues In Aspic is special. The title track is a big mess of tinkling percussion, big metal, and jarring movements driven by violin. Book Of Saturday is a nice ballad with a lovely Wetton vocal. The mellotron flutes and slow movement of Exiles reminds one of The Court of the Crimson King in good ways. Side Two is less exciting. The Talking Drum is lost in it's meandering ideas, and Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part Two  takes a long time to build to its noisy ending.

Starless And Bible Black sees the departure of percussionist Jamie Muir, but the essential trio unit is maintained. And they get focused. Great Deceiver and Lament start things off in rocking style, both filled with great syncopated guitar riffs and Wetton's fine vocals. The funky guitar and bass workout of We'll Let You Know is followed by the less successful but  still interesting Night Watch and Trio.  The Mincer is interestingly mellow or self-indulgent noodling. Then Starless and Bible Black lives up to it's title track status, bending and winding through ambient to skronky guitar to syncopated rhythms and back. Fracture ends the record with a preview of what is to come in a tension-inducing thrashing telling of Red's coming apocalypse.

Red is the one to hear. Why? Maybe you love metal. This is one of the first really big metal moments in rock. It is also the bombardment of your senses you deserve every once in a while. Only Fallen Angel, a sweet med-tempo ballad that eventually crushes, lets up at all. Everything else is designed to pound you. The skull-crushing of Providence and mercilessness of Starless bode well for the metal heads to come. And it's only 1974.

I still haven't explored the KIng Crimsons that came after this one. I'm tired now and I need to listen to something less demanding.